Mid-Michigan tea party group to host 'fiscal responsibility' tax rally April 16 in Mount Pleasant

The latter will be the topic of a rally hosted by the Mid Michigan Patriots on April 16. The group, formed in January, plans to have several speakers discuss the government’s fiscal responsibility at their Tea Party Tax Day Rally.

If you go ...Tea Party Tax Day Rally
•1 to 3 p.m. April 16
•Mary McGuire Elementary, 4882 Crosslanes St.
• Outside, weather allowing; otherwise in the school gymnasium

“We would like to get more people who are aware, politically,” said Larry Miller, co-chairman of the group.

Miller said he hopes to bring more information about the tea party principles to the Mount Pleasant community. The three main principles, he said, are constitutionally limited government, fiscal responsibility and open markets. The second of these three will be the topic of the rally.

The Mid Michigan Patriots group is one of at least 85 Tea Party Patriot groups in Michigan. They work locally to bring about change in the government.

“We lobby our legislators,” Miller said. “We help our legislators when they do things that support our principles, and we let them know when they are deviating from them.”

The rally will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. at Mary McGuire Elementary, 4882 Crosslanes St. If weather allows, it will be held outside; otherwise it will be located in the gymnasium.

Ron Babin, vice president of the Michigan FairTax Association and Central Michigan University alumnus, will speak about his plan to bring jobs back into the state.

The association is looking to remove the state income tax and increase the sales tax on goods and services, which would create an incentive for businesses to remain in Michigan.

While no state has the exact tax system the Michigan FairTax Association proposes, Nevada, Texas, Florida, Alaska, South Dakota, Wyoming and Washington do not currently have an income tax.

“Those seven states have an average of 4.5 percent higher economic growth rate than those with an income tax,” Babin said.

Miller said he is looking to bring attention to the lack of fiscal responsibility at both the state and national levels.

“The (national) debt has gone so high that we can’t ignore it any more,” he said.

“We’re at the bottom of the heap when it comes to economics," he said, "and we’re at the top of the heap when it comes to people leaving the state because they can’t find work."

Other speakers at the rally include former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra; state Rep. Kevin Cotter, R-Mount Pleasant; Scott Hagerstrom, director of Americans for Prosperity-Michigan; and performer Stacy Ault.